


Can't Take My Eyes Off of You [Valki Week Day 6-Crimson Peak AU]

by Lazy Cat Corner (Gummyyummy156)



Series: Valki Week 2019 [6]
Category: Crimson Peak (2015), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: AU-ception, Alternate Universe- Crimson Peak, An AU where Miles Morale’s AU’s leak into other fandom AUs, Crimson Peak Spoilers, F/M, Ghost Kissing, Hippity hoppity this au’s now my property, JESSICA CHASTAIN?!?!, MIA WASIKOWSKA?!?!, Mild Gore, Sort Of, TOM HIDDLESTON?!?!, What Was I Thinking?, Yeah i know its a four year old movie but i still should cover my ass, oh my god why the fuck did i write 9k?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-10 21:20:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20534777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gummyyummy156/pseuds/Lazy%20Cat%20Corner
Summary: A feeling of guilt crosses her mind and she mutters a short “ thank you ” before she closes her eyes again.A low cry escapes Loki’s throat that startles her. She opens her mouth to ask him what’s bothering him when he cuts her off.“It hurts.” his voice mutters in her ear.Valkyrie’s spine straightens and she senses something unpleasant in the room. A voice in her head is telling her not to turn around. To shut her eyes and not open them until morning, but she needs to feed the curiosity. She wants to tell herself it’s nothing to worry about. That Loki’s trying to freak her out on purpose.She gives in and reaches to the side table and turns on the lamp. The light flickers on and she expects to turn around and see Loki laying on his side of the bed like he typically does. When the image becomes clearer, her stomach turns in a tight knot.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> DAY 6 ALREADY?!?! OMG I'm so happy to be posting this. IDK why I had the most fun writing this but I'm gonna roll with it.  
With this fic, you don’t technically have to know anything about Crimson Peak (but I encourage you do, anyway just because it’s a great movie!) There are major spoilers from the movie but if you don’t care about that, I made sure there was enough info to explain everything. But like, I won’t be mad at you if you choose to take a few hours to rent it before you dive in and that says a lot if I’m willing to sacrifice my reader count for the sake of expanding the fandom. LMAO!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valkyrie stumbles across some odd pieces of jewelry and soon learns there’s a mystery behind them that she has to uncover. Her curiosity might be something she soon regrets, but how can she ignore ignore them when it invites in such a strange presence in her home?

Valkyrie’s picking up her pace down the street. She’s not _ late _ per-se, but she’s running on a tight schedule, and collecting a loan from a New York City pawn shop was not on her itinerary. Perhaps it’s the perks of being King of New Asgard or she’s always had it in her, but the pedestrians in her way part to the side and make a spacious path for her to walk the three blocks. She spotted a few people mumble a quick greeting under their breaths that made her put an extra skip in her step. She’d be lying if she said this new power didn’t stroke her ego a bit. 

Valkyrie approaches the rundown building and swings the door open so fast, it nearly shattered the glass and broke the tiny bell off its hinges. She spots her target idly leaning on the counter and straightening his posture the second he sees her prowling in. 

“Quinn, it’s been two months already. Where’s the twenty-grand you owe me?”

“Your Highness,” Quinn gives a patronizing bow. “You said I had until the end of the month to pay you back.” 

“I did,” she answers flatly. “And that was _ last week _. It’s the beginning of the month. I already gave you plenty of time to pay up.” Valkyrie snaps her fingers like she’s expecting the money to materialize in front of her. “Where is it?” 

“I have it!” The shopkeeper insists. “Sort-of,” they add under their breath.

Valkyrie rolls her eyes and lets out a low groan. 

“D’you need me telling your spouse what you’ve really been spending your funds on in Norway?” She threatens. “Or how your shop has been going out of business?” 

“No, No!” Quinn lets out a nervous laugh. “That’s not necessary. I swear I can pay you back right…” Quinn’s voice trails off as they scan the glass counter for something. “AH!” The shopkeeper opens the door and reaches in. 

“How about this?” Quinn pulls out a ring made out of pure gold. The front of it is flat, square and appears to have writing on it. “I had a guy appraise it for fifty-grand.It’s over one-hundred years old from Victorian England. Hey! Did ya know that there was a nickname the Victorians used. Umm, what was it? Wonder wench! I read it somewhere online that it was something you'd say to your girlfr-”

Valkyrie cuts them off. "Just let me see the damn ring." She rolls her eyes. Quinn was the type to ramble whenever tension got too high and would spew out useless facts. 

She takes the ring and moves it closer into the light to read the inscription. The writing is in an ostentatious sort-of calligraphy and the letters are faded from years of being worn. She finds two letters inscribed on top of the ring.

_ T.S. _

Valkyrie turns the ring around and slips it on each finger. The only place it fits comfortably is on her thumb. 

“You could sell it and get back double what I owe you,” Quinn suggests. 

“And who’s going to buy this from me? Only people with the initials of T and S?” She tosses the ring on the counter. Making a _ CLANG _ and it nearly bounces off before the shopkeeper fumbles to catch it. 

“No! I mean, that’s not necessarily why people would buy it-I-just figured.” Quinn pauses for a moment in thought and lets out a defeated sigh. “Okay. You got me. That’s not everything. It’s technically part of a _ matching set _.”

“Huh?” Valkyrie lifts an eyebrow. 

Quinn reaches back inside the display case and pulls out another ring placed beside. It’s bigger than the other one. A ruby that looks like the size of Valkyrie’s thumb stuck in the middle on top of a gold band with delicate gold detailing surrounding the stone. 

“This-” Quinn presents. “Is the other half of the piece. I had a friend pick these two up at an auction. Apparently there’s a really sad story behind them.” Quinn scratches their head in thought. “The owner of this ring came from a rich family and killed her brother and he owned the gold ring, or something like that. Maybe he killed her. I think they killed their mother, too. I don’t really remember the full story. You could ask the place I got it from, I’ll send you their contact information. The point is, it’s really messed up and kids these days would pay a fortune for creepy jewelry like this.”

Valkyrie winces at the thought. Sakaar has bartered for stranger odds and ends, but for some reason, she assumed Midgardians would be uncomfortable about things like that. 

“And if that’s not enough, the gem on that ring could be sold for at minimum what I owe you. I promise, it’s a fair trade.” 

Valkyrie takes a second look at the ring. There’s something odd about it, for sure. She’s not sure if she’s imagining it, but holding the ring makes her feel strange. Perhaps it’s because Quinn told her beforehand or it’s more than just a bargaining chip. Either way, she knows a few people in other parts of Midgard that would buy it off her hands for possibly more than what Quinn’s appraising it for. 

“You should probably do something about your gambling problem,” she blurts. 

“Yes, of course!” The shopkeeper gives a smile that barely reaches their eyes. 

Valkyrie rolls her eyes and collects the two rings stored in a small velvet bag. She closes the door before she hears Quinn bid her goodbye.

* * *

Valkyrie lays on her back across her bed and holds the two rings into the light. She just got off the phone trying to call the seller only to find an answering machine saying that they’re closed. 

She’s surprising herself at how interested she is in these gaudy looking things. She doesn’t normally care about antiques or stories behind them, but something about these two are a mystery. A mystery that for some reason, perhaps by a magnetic force or her own foolishness, she has to know. 

“I’ll figure you out,” she says to the tempting jewels.

She hears Loki walk through the front door and steps out of the bedroom to greet him. 

“How are the new healers doing?” 

“Better,” he leans down for a kiss. “ They have a long way to go. Thanks to their King, they have Eir to keep a record of everything Asgard’s learned.” 

“That was dumb luck. Not heroism.” She rolls her eyes and deepens the kiss. 

Valkyrie pulls Loki closer and pushes him against the wall, causing him to break apart and let out a pleasing chuckle. 

“Your Highness-” 

She cuts him off with a teasing nip on his lower lip. “You know the second your wounds healed and you woke up, that title was meant for yours to take.” 

“Oh, but you wear that crown and sit on that throne better than I ever could. It would be unfair to Asgard to take away such a beautiful sight. Anyway, I’d like to think I make a gorgeous Queen, don’t I?” He runs his hands through her hair and teases a stray curl. 

His gaze moves downward and he notices the two gold rings and her hand toying with them between her fingers.

Valkyrie looks up and notices a slight shift in his eyes. They’re not as harsh as she’s used to and she thought she saw his hair completely change to something short and curly. 

She opens her mouth to comment on his new look, and freezes. Everything around her turns cold. She sees Loki’s lips moving, but what she hears is entirely different. 

_ Where is she? _ She thought she heard him say. 

“What?” Valkyrie takes a cautious step back and shakes her head. Loki’s face changes back to how he was before. 

“What do you got there.” Loki points to her hand still fidgeting with the rings. 

“Oh, Quinn’s debt.” She laughs. “I felt bad for the bloke, to be honest and figured what was offered would do. Quinn said these rings have some history behind it and I’ve been trying to contact the original seller, but they’re out for the weekend.” Valkyrie takes a look at the rings and adds, “Maybe your seidr could help read the energy behind the two?” 

“I’m not a medium,” his smile drops. 

“I know, but you can sense things. Maybe you could help trace back what happened with the two owners of the rings,” she suggests. 

“I doubt there would be anything more fascinating than a simple murder.” 

“Maybe,” a sly smile stretches across Valkyrie. “And _ maybe _ you’re a little _ rusty _.” 

Loki tilts his head. “Taunting me? Real mature.” 

“Only because it works.” Valkyrie holds out the rings for him to take. “C’mon. I know you’re not above it.”

“Well, I’m not,” he snatches the rings out of her hands. 

The second Loki touches them, his back straightens like he’s been electrocuted. 

“Shit!” Loki yelps and drops them to the ground. 

Valkyrie barks out a laugh. “Did you just scream at a couple of rings?” 

“Those aren’t just rings.” He curls his fingers and stands on the backs of his heels. “They’re cursed.” 

“Cursed?” 

“Or something of the matter. I’m not sure. I haven’t seen such sad pieces since I was a kid exploring my father’s storage rooms. Asgard liked to collect a lot of war prizes. Thought it was only limited to objects until I-” Loki’s voice trails off for a moment and a sad look crosses his face before he changes the subject, “Anyway, whatever happened to the owner wasn’t good and they’ll be sure any future owners will feel the same pain they have.” 

“Damn Quinn,” Valkyrie mutters. “Knew there was a catch.” 

“I could probably cast out the trapped spirits, but it won’t happen overnight. I’ll have to improvise with Midgard ingredients and there might be some backlash-

“Do it.” She orders. 

Loki considers for a moment before he nods and tells her what he has to collect before he can start. 

He steps into the bedroom to gather his supplies and tells her behind the door, “Keep those things away from you until we know what’s possessing it. Lock it somewhere in the house.” 

“Bit paranoid?” 

“I don’t like what I’m sensing. Just stay away from it for now.” He opens the front door and leans forward for a brief kiss on her cheek. 

_ “Harlot!” _ She heard him say under his breath. 

Valkyrie takes a step back like she’s been slapped and looks at him up and down. 

“What did you say?” Her teeth clench. 

“I didn’t say anything.” He shrugs on his coat and steps out. 

Valkyrie shakes her head. She knew what she heard and where the sound came from, but before she can confront him about it again, he shuts the door. 

Valkyrie remains still and replays the last minute in her head. None of it made sense. True, they bicker from time to time, but there were lines neither of them would dare to cross. Moreover, it came out of nowhere and wasn’t like him to talk to her like that. 

She takes a second look at the rings on the floor and a chill crawls up her spine. These damn things are putting them both on edge and she’s never seen Loki so scared before. Maybe for once, she’ll listen to him. 

She drops the rings back in the velvet bag and scans the house for a good spot. Somewhere out of the way and far from her to accidentally touch. After going through every drawer and cabinet in the house, she settles on the liquor cabinet in the kitchen. Most people put their favorite and expensive drinks in there, but for Valkyrie she finds it pointless if the fridge is within arms reach. She mostly stores her surplus in this cabinet. Nothing she would need immediately. She thanks herself for remembering where she keeps the key and locks the door for good measure. 

“Someone would have to go looking for it if they wanted to touch it,” she steps away from the door and spends the rest of the day pretending like there is nothing out of the ordinary. Like she doesn’t feel like something’s watching every little thing she does.

* * *

Loki was out for most of the day and didn’t come back until sunset. When he did, he was mostly quiet and focused on his books. Occasionally, he’d mutter under his breath and jot down notes in between the margins. Towards late into the night, he started experimenting with his seidr. Attempting some incantations, cutting off mid-sentence, and returning to his notes.

When he looks like he’s not going to be leaving the couch anytime soon she kisses him goodnight. He swears he will join her soon, but she rolls her eyes at his obvious lie. When Loki’s given a task, he can’t close his eyes until he’s finished. 

She gets ready for bed and settles under the comforter. Her eyes shut and she listens to the crickets chirping outside her window. It’s a cloudy night which means it’s completely dark outside and her bedroom won’t get a crack of light tonight.

It’s her favorite way to sleep. While Loki prefers sleeping under a blanket of stars or a sliver of the moon shining on their bed, Valkyrie loves to be wrapped up in darkness and lulled to sleep by the silence. 

She is nearly pulled into a deep sleep when a brief light flashes behind her eyes and she hears the faint _ CLICK _ of her door shutting. Her bedroom is completely dark, but she sees the silhouette of Loki climbing to his usual spot of his bed. 

“Couldn’t keep away?” Valkyrie says with a cocky grin. “Or was the work too much?” When Loki doesn’t respond, she settles herself closer into his body and instantly regrets it. 

“NORNS!” Valkyrie nearly jumps out of bed. “Your feet are fucking cold! Colder than usual. Did you stick them in an ice bath?” Valkyrie pulls the bedsheets closer and grits her teeth. She remembers how draining seidr practice is, but this is the worst she’s seen. His work must be taking a toll on him. 

A feeling of guilt crosses her mind and she mutters a short “_ thank you _” before she closes her eyes again. 

A low cry escapes Loki’s throat that startles her. She opens her mouth to ask him what’s bothering him when he cuts her off. 

“It hurts.” his voice mutters in her ear.

Valkyrie’s spine straightens and she senses something unpleasant in the room. A voice in her head is telling her not to turn around. To shut her eyes and not open them until morning, but she needs to feed the curiosity. She wants to tell herself it’s nothing to worry about. That Loki’s trying to freak her out on purpose. 

She gives in and reaches to the side table and turns on the lamp. The light flickers on and she expects to turn around and see Loki laying on his side of the bed like he typically does. When the image becomes clearer, her stomach turns in a tight knot.

The first thing she notices is the deep gouge in his left eye. A steady stream of blood trailing down his face and staining the white bed sheets. Each steady drip makes a deep red puddle. His clothes, that she’s never seen before, are dirtied horribly and not worn as neatly as he normally likes. His skin is also pale. Paler than she’s ever seen and if it weren’t for the fact that she didn’t recognize the person in front of her that _ should be _ Loki, she would have noticed how sad he looks. 

Valkyrie slams her back against the headboard and scrambles back as far away as she can until she’s practically hanging off the edge of the bed. 

“Will you help me? You can find her.” He croaks. 

A yell Valkyrie didn’t even know she could make escapes and she lunges across the bed with her arms out. She grabs the lamp with her and swings it over her shoulder. She can’t see if it hit her target. Despite the light briefly given from the lamp, she has the rush of adrenaline leaving her blinded. The only thing she could hear is a loud _ CRASH _ followed by whole room shrouded in both silence and darkness. 

Light from the hallway shines in and she senses someone bolting into the room. It takes a moment for Valkyrie’s eyes to adjust, but once she sees Loki perfectly unscathed, wearing his typical clothing and standing at the foot of her bed her mood switches from fear to rage. 

“What-

“THAT IS NOT FUNNY!” Valkyrie roars and jumps off the bed. Loki takes a couple steps back and holds up his hands. 

“What?” His eyes widen. “Are you out of your mind? What the hell are you talking about?” 

“Shut up,” She grabs the first thing on the nightstand she can throw and he catches it. “You know_ exactly _ what you just did.” She picks up her pace so they’re standing face to face and nudges him backward. “I swear I’m gonna- 

“And _ I swear _ I didn’t do anything.” Loki grasps both of her hands reaching out for him. When he can see she won’t calm down, he finally says, “Tell me what you saw?” There’s a sincerity in the look of his eyes. The kind of look he gives her when something’s no longer funny and he’s being honest. 

“That,” she points to the empty space by her side that causes Loki to give her a look to elaborate. “You-you were _ there _ and-and it was-an illusion, but,” Valkyrie frowns at the suddenly clean bed sheets. “I-” Valkyrie blinks and her jaw drops. The floor underneath her wobbles and she can feel a steady pulsing sensation in her neck. 

She feels Loki-_ her Loki _-pull her into an embrace. Her throat aches and she’s finding it difficult to breathe. 

Before she knows it, she’s sitting on his lap in the middle of the bed. Curled up in a ball and drenching his shirt with tears. 

“I thought you were hurt. Or someone did...something-I don’t know what I thought.”

“Shh,” he soothes her. “It’s alright. I’m here.” Loki rubs her back in soothing circles.

“What-” Valkyrie swallows. “What was that?” 

Loki offers to take a quick look in her mind and she wordlessly agrees. He holds his thumb over her head for no longer than a second before he pulls back and sucks in a sharp breath. 

“It was a trick. The rings,” Loki nods to the velvet bag on her dresser that she swore was locked away, “they probably thought they were being funny tormenting you like that, I’m sorry.” She feels Loki tense up. Sounding _ angry _. At the spirits? Himself? She couldn’t tell. “I should have been more careful. More clever than them.” 

“It’s not your fault,” she presses her temple against his chest and listens to his heartbeat. 

“From now on,” he places a gentle kiss on top of her head. “I’ll hold on to them. Keep them in a separate pocket of my seidr and be sure they leave you alone.” 

“I broke the lamp,” she responds lamely. 

Loki lets out a low chuckle. “I can fix it tomorrow.” He takes a look across the room to notices the shards piled in the corner. “Were you intending to _ hit me _ with that?” 

A hysterical laughter bubbles up that Valkyrie can’t stop. “I don’t know. I didn’t know what the fuck was happening. What I saw _ was you _ but I knew it wasn’t and I couldn’t think straight.” She can feel her breathing starting to even and tries to match it with Loki’s

After a few more deep breaths, they break apart and Valkyrie sits on her side of the bed. Her tears dry and she makes an attempt to look like she didn’t just completely break down. 

Loki retrieves the bag of rings and checks if they’re still both inside. Muttering a few barriers and sealing incantations, he opens his palm and lets the bag slip through one of his pocket dimensions. 

“Will that keep it from moving?”

“Yes,” he answers. “And no. The spirits will be irritated and will try to slip out, but I won’t let them get far.” Valkyrie sees a flash of Loki’s blue eyes look up and he studies her face. He looks like he wants to apologize to her again, but reconsiders. 

Instead, he figures the least he could do is keep her company for the rest of the night. Without another word, he lets his clothes shift to his usual t-shirt and sleeping pants and slips under his side of the comforter. Valkyrie follows behind, finding no energy to shut the bedroom door or turn off the hallway light. 

“Loki.” She weakly mumbles. 

“Hmm?” He settles beside her. 

“Will you hold me?” 

“Of course,” He moves in closer and wraps his arms around her. His hold on her feels a bit tighter than normal, but she welcomes it. A sigh of relief slowly escapes and she curls inward so she can only see the front of his shirt. 

She doesn’t remember when she closed her eyes, but the next time they opened, she’s freezing and everything is eerily quiet. She doesn’t recognize the room she’s in. It’s bigger than her house, more expensive, but somehow much colder. Several drafts of cold air that she can’t figure out where they’re coming from send chills up her spine and she clenches her teeth from chattering. The only thing keeping her warm is a thin dressing gown and heavy blankets that do nothing to keep her body heat. 

A woman with dark hair piled on top of her head and a narrow look to her green eyes come into her vision

“I’ll take care of you,” the dark haired woman says soothingly. She runs a hand over Valkyrie’s body and tugs firmly on a lock of her hair. Her hands spread wide, looking more like claws as they come up and lock firmly around her neck. For some reason, she can’t take her eyes off the woman. 

They’re becoming colder, her lips are thinner and her grip is tighter. She shows no emotion, but Valkyrie can feel the fire burning. She’s unsure if it’s the rage or her grip that’s suffocating her. 

The woman’s hands squeeze tighter around Valkyrie’s throat. She wiggles under her grip. Trying to find an opening or some leverage with no luck. Her whole body feels like lead. She’s had colds and never felt as weak as she does right now. Valkyrie opens her mouth to try to let out a scream in hopes that anyone would hear, but all she can do is gasp for air. 

“Just like mother,” the woman’s voice darkens before everything goes black. 

Valkyrie’s eyes fly open and she sucks in a fresh breath of air. The chirp of crickets reassure her that she’s safe. Before she can check if Loki’s awake, she feels his hand run through her hair and his voice hushes her to go back to sleep. 

Valkyrie buries her nose closer in his neck and lets his gentle kisses steady her racing heart. 

She’s quickly realizing how it’s not like her to be so afraid of the dark.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not satisfied with Valkyrie's response after everything that went down, Loki decides to do some digging and figure out the mystery with these rings once and for all.

Valkyrie wakes up to a warm pair of arms wrapped around her. She smiles. Too content to remember what happened the night before. Valkyrie peers up and sees Loki awake. He catches her glance and smiles. 

“Did you get any sleep?” She lazily moves up and gives a chaste kiss on his lips. 

“A bit.” Which Valkyrie knows that means he didn’t. “I was thinking,” he continues. “About what to do with the rings.” 

“Mmm, stop thinking!” She leans in for a deeper kiss and nudges him on his back. “I don’t want to think this early.” 

Valkyrie wraps her leg around and straddles his waist. She pushes his hair back so she can see the dazed look in Loki’s eyes as he watches her slip out of her nightclothes. With a wave of his hand, he follows her lead and his garments materialize off his body. 

He runs his hands from the base of Valkyrie’s knees and up her thighs, sending a warm tingle in between her legs. On instinct, she tightens her grip on Loki’s waist and it causes him to jerk upward. She can feel her breathing quicken at that and she eagerly responds to his gentle hands in between. 

As much as Valkyrie loves to build up and tease Loki, today is not the day for that. She needs something fast and can take her mind off things for a moment. 

She shimmies down and grinds her hips with his, feeling his growing erection wanting the same from her. Valkyrie leans forward and takes Loki’s lips in between hers. She teases his lower lip between her teeth and runs her index finger up his jawline. Finding little patience to play any longer, she breaks apart and locks her eyes with his. 

“Loki,” her voice sounds desperate. “I want you to fuck me so hard, I forget where I’m at.” 

She’s not sure if he heard her. There’s a hazy look in his eyes and he looks too far in to realize she’s even speaking. 

She reminds him one last time. “And that’s an order from your King,” she demands. 

His eyes darken at her command, and his grip on her legs firm up slightly. The next thing Valkyrie knows, she’s on her back and Loki has his head nestled between her thighs. 

“As you wish, _ Your Highness _.Though if you wish to forget, it’s going to take a bit more effort,” He turns his head and presses a pleasant kiss at the crook of her knee. 

“Just make it good.” She teases. 

“Don’t I always?” His voice lowers and he leaves a playful bite behind. 

The lower he moves towards her entrance, the deeper and more teasing his bites become. 

He stops just inches away and Valkyrie can feel a smile break through. 

“Where are you?” He asks with a husk in his voice. 

“Hmm? I’m home. Is that all you think it will take?”

“Just testing,” he lets out a chuckle that sends down a cool breath of air tickling her skin. 

She can slowly feel the fire building up in her gut. He’s hardly gotten anywhere near her clit, but she can tell he’s going to make it worth it. At one point, she felt him working his hands inside her and she lets out a small cry. Her heartbeat feels out of control and she welcomes the warm pleasure. 

“Where are you?” She hears his voice break in between the throbs of her pulse. 

_ We could live anywhere... _

“I’m-” Valkyrie blinks. Her vision is blurring and she feels a shift in the air. “I’m…You won't...find...me...” 

She hears Loki’s voice murmur to her, “_ I’m here, too. _”

The room around her dims and the bed softens. 

Valkyrie’s changed her position and is now laying on top of who she thinks is Loki. When she looks again, she notices that instead, _ she’s Loki _ and pressed up against a woman smaller than her with eyes as brown as her own and pale blonde hair piled up in a neat updo. The faint candlelight reflects on her face and gives her fair skin a sort of golden glow. She notices her lips are a bit glossy and plump from kissing and Valkyrie can't help but notice a soft birth mark right above her lip that for reasons she can’t understand, she wants to kiss. 

The woman pulls her forward into a deep kiss that (again) for some reason, she doesn’t want to break apart. Not for the most violent storms or if the ground shattered beneath their feet. This is her only chance. Maybe her last chance? The woman lets out a faint mewl and curls underneath her. Her hands run down Valkyrie’s back. It sends a pleasant shiver down her spine and her hands begin gently kneading her ass. She feels the woman hook her leg around and flips Valkyrie on her back. It makes her catch her breath and blink several moments. 

Suddenly, it feels like everything’s slowed down and she’s awake again. She wants to ask this woman who she is? Why is she here and why does everything feel so different? 

_ Find her... _The familiar voice pleads to her. 

She tries to get a word out, but all she can hear next is the loud and ear shattering yell of a woman she doesn’t recognize. 

She feels a violent scratch on her chest and screams. Her instincts snap in and she swings her legs out and kick the woman straddled on top of her. 

A loud _ THUMP _ followed by a _ CRASH _ breaks her out of her haze. She sits up and like she just woke up from a dream, her bedroom comes back to her. Loki’s curled up against the wall and he’s trying to pick himself up against the dresser. She sees a bruise forming at the side of his rib and her heart sinks. 

“What happened?” Valkyrie’s hands scramble up to her chest and she hisses. An intense stinging sensation spreads across where she just touched and she looks down to find four deep red scratches. 

“You blacked out.” Loki sits beside her on the bed and studies the mark left behind. “You weren’t responding to anything I was saying and you kept muttering to yourself. Like you were having a conversation with someone else.” 

Her eyes are welling up and her jaw drops. Loki’s trying to keep himself together but she can see the panic and hurt in his eyes. She can’t embarrass herself, she’s already made herself look so pathetic these past twelve hours. Valkyrie jumps out of the bed and darts to the bathroom. She flicks on the light and takes a look at the wound in the mirror. She can sense Loki following her behind and ignores the concerned look in his eyes. She grabs a washcloth from the counter and starts soaking it with warm water. Pressing the warm cloth to her chest, she sighs in relief as it soothes the stinging sensation. Loki turns himself around to face Valkyrie and leans against the counter. 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she answers his wordless question. “Just forget it ever happened.” 

He continues watching her. Either lost in thought or supervising that she’s cleaning her wound correctly, she can’t tell.

“Alright.” Is all he can say back. 

Finding it already starting to heal, Valkyrie sets the washcloth down and rinses it. She peers over to Loki’s curious gaze and takes another look at his wound. She points to the red mark left behind on his ribs. “Did I do that to you? Loki, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s fine,” he cuts her off and shakes his head. “It’s just a bruise. It’ll heal. But yours,” he nods to the scratch on her chest. “Let me see it. I have to be sure it’s just a normal scratch.” 

She knows he won’t stop hovering if she says no. She nods and flinches when his hand moves closer to the mark. He keeps his hand hovering above just centimeters away and releases a warm rush of seidr. She sees various colors pop up but has little clue what they mean. She recognizes what a fracture or bruise would look like, but this one looks complicated. 

“It’s not cursed, but it’s _ angry _. The spirit’s trying to-”

“Loki,” she reminds him. 

He stops himself and wordlessly mends the scratches. They heal cleanly, which is a good sign, but there’s still something left that he knows he can’t fix as easily. 

“Valkyrie…” Loki’s voice trails off. He wants to ask her if she’s okay, but he knows the truth. She won’t be honest with him, anyway. 

“I’ll be gone for the next two days,” she says it as if nothing’s wrong. “There are some meetings I’ve been holding off. Probably best I tend to them now.” 

“What about the-”

“Don’t worry about it.” She demands. After a moment of silence, she gives him a warm smile and says, “It’s no big deal. I’ve handled worse.You worry too much about me.” 

“Someone has to,” he counters before she kisses his lips and gets ready for the day. 

Loki leaves her to her tasks and takes a second look at the two rings. He can feel one of them growing angrier and more irritated. It feels like a ticking bomb just waiting for the right moment to blow. 

The longer they hold this off, the more hostile and upset these spirits will become. Something has to be done immediately and he doubts Valkyrie will be willing to face it anytime soon. It’s only a matter of time before...

A wave of fear and anger crosses Loki. No. He won’t let that happen. He’ll do it tonight and get rid of these spirits once and for all. Loki stretches out his muscles and prepares himself for a long day of research. 

* * *

Loki sets his gathered ingredients down and checks if he has everything he needs. He’s surprised to find that these spells didn’t require as much as he thought. While he never dabbled in spells that dealt with the dead, it’s not too different from what he’s used to. The only difference is that it requires more concentration and he has to remain in control. 

He decides to work on them one at a time and goes for the spirit that feels less upset. Not wanting to waste any time he begins the incantation to cast the spirit out. He’s in the middle of the spell when he freezes at an odd shift in the air. There’s an energy inside the ring that feels like it’s fighting back. Begging? Pleading? It confuses and irritates him.

_How dare they?_

What right do these souls have to try to bargain with him? After everything they did to him. To Valkyrie! Loki takes a second look around their bedroom and notices the lamp he recently fixed and placed back on the side table. 

It doesn’t make any sense why these spirits are so hostile and Valkyrie’s been trying to get answers about where they came from this whole time. That lingering curiosity emerges once more and doesn’t subside until he gives in. Loki reaches in his bag for a few more ingredients and decides to end this nonsense once and for all. If he can get some answers, he can put this all away and pretend it never happened. 

The spell he chose won’t bring the spirits to life, but it will increase their power and make it easier to communicate with them. The only problem is that it would be easier for them to slip out of his hands and he must have a firm grip on them at all times. Loki mutters his incantation and feels the energy in the ring expand until something leaks out and spills in front of him. The energy mass moves around the room before it decides on a shape to take. While it starts forming, Loki takes his chance and reaches out with his seidr to cage the spirit in. 

He feels the energy wiggle under him like a rabbit caught in a fox’s mouth, but Loki clamps down tighter. 

_No! You won't slither out that easily!  
_

He can feel his anger resurfacing and waits for the spirit to form. 

What he saw next only angers him more. 

The spirit decides to take the same form he saw in Valkyrie’s memory. Like it’s playing a sick joke with him. Maybe to taunt him or try to outwit him? He’s unsure, but he knows it’s not settling his nerves. 

“You’ll pay for what you did to my wife,” Loki tightens his grip on the spirit causing it to fidget and scramble to get away. 

“Help. Me.” It breathes. 

“Remove the illusion at once!” He orders. 

“Not a-” Loki releases a bit of tension to let the coward speak. “It’s not an illusion.” 

“Then what is it? Tell me now, or I’ll rip you away from the thing binding you to earth so quickly, your soul will be torn in too many pieces for even Hela to be able to piece back together.” 

Loki lets out a crackle of seidr to give the spirit a taste of what it would feel like and it yells out in pain. 

“I don’t-I DON’T KNOW, PLEASE STOP! Stop it. I don’t know what you mean. I am myself! I’m a spirit.” It pleads. 

Loki releases his grip and the spirit crumbles to the floor and shivers. Loki curls his lip at how pitiful it really is. He was prepared for a bigger fight, and he can’t help but feel frustrated and stuck on his words. He says the only thing he can think of. 

“Why’d you scare my wife?” 

“Why do you look like me?” The spirit counters. 

“I ask the _ questions _” he raises his seidr and the spirit cowers back. Loki says every word slowly, “Why did you frighten her? Why did you hurt her?” 

“I didn’t mean it, but I didn’t hurt her. That wasn’t me. All I wanted was her to help. She said she would. She said she’d figure it out and-I just want to be free. I want to see _ her _ again. I know I don’t deserve it but I have to see my-” He cuts himself off and frowns. “I just want to see her one last time.” 

Loki takes a step back at the spirit’s words and takes a second look at his doppleganger. He reeks of desperation and sadness. He looks too much like himself and there’s a part that can’t help but feel empathy for that. He doesn’t know who “_she” _ is, but perhaps casting him out of the ring could be done civilly. Maybe things aren’t going to go the way he expected, but that could be a good thing. 

“You died rather violently.” It wasn’t a question. The energy leaking from the jewelry screams murder. “Did _ she _ kill you?” 

“What do you mean?” His blue eyes widen and it sends an eerie chill up Loki’s spine how identical he looks. “No. No, she would never hurt me. She probably hates me but she would never hurt me. It was my sister. That other ring you have belongs to my sister. She was jealous. I was all she had and she thought I was going to abandon her, so she stabbed me,” he says matter-of-factly which makes Loki wince. He wonders what he would be capable of doing to Thor if the right person drove him mad enough. 

The spirit continues, “My sister unfortunately, was distraught. I hoped she could see reason, but all she saw was red. She tried to kill her and died because of it. I know part of it-_ a lot of it _-was my fault. I tried to make things right but it was too late. I know I shouldn’t completely blame her for it but,” he frowns. “I haven’t spoken to her in ages.” 

“And, the other girl? The one you want to speak to. I could find her if you gave me a name. Why do you want to talk to her?” 

“Her name is Edith Cushing. I want to apologize for all I've done to her. Maybe I could know if she’s safe. Did she grow up happy? Did Alan treat her kinder than me?” 

“You can ask her yourself.”

“I can?” He says in disbelief. 

“I’ll locate her spirit and you two can have a heart to heart. As long as you promise to cross-over and leave Midgard.” 

“I promise!” He says automatically. “I’ll do whatever you wish, just _ please _ let me see her one more time. That’s all I wish in order to be free.” 

“I can’t promise she would want to talk to you. You said it ended badly and it’s possible she will say no. If she doesn’t agree, you have to let go and accept it.” 

“I’ll agree to your terms.” He says, for the first time, with a look of confidence. 

“Good. I’ll try to have a chat with your sister and see what I can do with her.” He thinks about asking if he wishes to speak to her, too, but notices the discomfort when he talks about her. “Your sister. Was she the one who scratched my wife?” 

“Possibly.” He shrugs. 

“Then this will be interesting.” Loki lets out an unpleasant groan and feels a wave of exhaustion.

“Thank you. I’m Thomas Sharpe, by the way.” He holds out a hand and drops it immediately when he realizes Loki won’t be taking it. 

“Loki,” he says before he snaps the connection shut. 

Loki glares at the other ring and considers his actions. This one feels more hostile than the other. There’s no telling how this one will go and it’s best he walks in prepared. 

The second Loki opens the connection, he feels the spirit try to lash out at him. A woman with hair darker than the color of the high-collar on her tight gown swipes out her nails in hopes to claw out his eyes. Loki keeps a firm grip with his seidr to hold the spirit back. 

“WHO IS SHE?” The woman screams at the top of her lungs. “THE FILTHY _ HARLOT _ YOU’VE BEEN TOUCHING!” Her voice lowers to something dark. “Kissing...fucking,” she spits. “Finally over Edith, I see. That didn’t take long. At least _ she _was worth some-” 

“Under normal circumstances, I would have you punished for what you’ve said, but I can see that things, here aren’t _ normal _. I can assure you, that woman you speak about so carelessly is none of your concern.”

“None of my-” The woman’s eyes widen and her green eyes light up as she lets out a monstrous chuckle. “You haven’t the slightest _ idea _ what’s my concern, Thomas,” she jeers. “You’re forgetting who you belong to. Speaking to me out of turn and defiling the family name like some _ whore _.” 

“I’ve defiled the family name plenty of times, but funny enough it had nothing to do with whom I’ve bedded. Anyhow, it’s clear you haven’t the slightest idea what’s happening.” 

“You haven’t-” the woman’s face falls and her voice lowers, “This isn’t right.” she blinks and suddenly notices the room around her. “Who are you?” 

“Loki,” he answers confidently. “I’m not who you think I am.” 

“Figures,” her posture relaxes and her mood switches in an instant. “My brother likes to walk like he’s carrying a load of stones or somebody’s taken his toys.” 

“What’s _ your name _?” 

“Lucille Sharpe.” She gives a curtsy making Loki hold back a laugh. Suddenly acting like a lady despite all the insults she threw moments ago. 

“Your brother,” Loki holds the gold ring up, “Thomas, is the owner of this ring?” 

“Where did you get that?” Her eyes narrow. 

“It’s not important. But these rings. They bind your spirits to this realm. Trapped in an infinite loop for decades. It would take a lot of pain and suffering to be this strongly attached. Does it have something to do with the fact that you killed him?”

“I did NOT!” She barks before her eyes cast downward and her voice lowers. “I had to.”

“Of course you did,” he sighs. He can understand why Thomas resents her so strongly. “What do you want?” 

“I beg your pardon?” She looks up sharply and gives a look like she smells something foul. 

“To be free,” Loki elaborates. “Every trapped spirit wants something so they can leave the thing binding them to Earth. What’s yours?” 

Lucille considers his offer for a moment before she answers. There’s a look in her eyes. Behind all her anger and hatred there’s still a look of some distorted affection. It’s an odd and familiar look he might have once had. 

“I want to see Thomas. I want to speak to him again. Tell him...Tell him anything.” 

Loki feels the energy in the gold ring in his palm pulsing. While he can't hear anything, he can feel the ring resisting. Begging him not to summon him. He takes in a deep breath knowing she won’t like his response. 

“He won’t speak to you. I could sense his fear when we talked. If I were to force such a thing, it wouldn’t resolve anything. There must be some other reason why you’re still here. Something that’s making you hold on. What’s trapping you and maybe I could unbind it?” 

“That’s all.” 

“Is it?” He says in disbelief. “Really think about it. I can sense there’s something else.” 

Her thin lips tighten and a look of fury flashes in her eyes. She says each word slowly and calmly.

“Fine, there is one other thing I want. Edith. I want _Edith _to pay. I want that thief to be sorry. To know how it feels to have a shovel crack her skull. I want her to feel what she did to my brother...to me and everything she took away from us!” Her voice cracks at the last word. 

Though she seems calm, there’s a surge in electricity charging in the room and it causes the lights to flicker. 

“The woman who killed you is dead, Lucille. Her grave’s probably miles away from yours and turned to dust by now.” 

“I’ll never be happy again until I get what I deserve.” 

“You’ll suffer forever because of it. I’m giving you the choice to be free from this ring or live forever in the realm of the dead.” 

“I have nothing left!” Her voice raises. “I can’t let go and I won’t forget what she stole from me! I’ve tried. It’s no use. Apologizing, forgetting, reconciling. None of that matters.” 

“I won't do that. Harm another soul in exchange for your happiness.” 

Lucille’s breath quickens and her mood shifts. She looks to be in a trance and her eyes glaze over Loki’s. Like the eye of a storm, everything around goes quiet until Lucille speaks again. 

“I remember what I last said to her, and I meant it. When I told her I won’t stop...until you kill me...Or I kill you!” Lucille murmurs. 

“What?” 

“I won’t stop until you kill me...Or I kill you!,” she repeats. 

“Lucille.” Loki tries to gain control of the surge in magic, but finds her spirit fading until she repeats the same words over and over. He can see now the holes in her soul she’s torn up in desperation and desire to escape. 

“Is this really what you want? To be trapped forever and never be at piece?” 

He tries to get her attention one more time and fails. Lucille is too stuck to see anything in front of her. After another strong burst of energy, she winds down and her body crumbles forward on the floor. Her legs fold and rest under her chin. She almost looks like a child by the way her lips tremble. 

“It doesn’t matter.” She mutters with a defeated sigh. “I think I’ve given up long ago. There’s nothing left and no hope for me. I think I-” Lucille cuts herself off and frowns. 

Loki moves down to her eye level and sits on his knees. 

“I’ll be merciful,” Loki answers. “It won’t hurt, but you’ll belong to Hela, now. No longer in pain, but not quite content. I’m sorry, I wish I could do more,” Loki surprises himself that he meant it. No more than a few moments ago, he was ready to tear these souls apart. Now, he feels some obligation to help them. 

Lucille’s green eyes look up at Loki’s and she leans forward so they are only inches apart. He thinks she’s going to yell or try to attack him one last time. What she says next surprises him. 

“I’ll never see Thomas again?”

“I’m afraid not,” Loki winces. There’s a look of understanding in Lucille’s eyes and it sends a sharp pang in his chest. It makes him think about how he once was. He would have done anything for control. Perhaps under the right circumstances, he would have had the same fate as this woman. She’s lonely and has been so for nearly a hundred years.The way she trembles and the look of uncertainty on her face is what makes Loki hesitate. Maybe this is what’s best for her? Loki wishes he could know for sure. But wouldn’t anything be better than being trapped in a piece of jewelry forever with nobody around to bring comfort? 

“He never forgave me. He told me that the last time I spoke to him," Lucille finally says. 

Loki lets out a sigh. “Lucille, I- 

“If there’s no other way, then may I ask of you for one last thing?” 

“Depends. What is it?”

“Just hold me.” Loki remains silent. He’s searching for a bluff or some trap. “I know you’re not him. I just want to- 

Loki pulls the woman in his arms. She feels cold, yet solid. Despite her haughty demeanor, she feels much smaller than he thought. He’s not sure why he obeyed so quickly. Only that he knew he would want the same. 

“I’m so sorry,” Lucille meekly chokes and lets out a sob. She buries her face in his hair and he hears her faintly humming some sort of lullaby in his ear. 

Loki shuts his eyes and mutters the incantation. Her body warms up and bursts into a dim light. He feels her fade away until he’s hugging the air. 

“I hope all is well for you, Lucille,” he speaks to the ruby ring (for once) quiet and resting in his hand.

* * *

Valkyrie didn’t think she’d return to New York so soon. 

“You didn’t have to come along,” Loki hooks Valkyrie’s arm over his and guides her down the quieting cemetery. It’s a little before sunset and the deeper they go, the more empty the place becomes. 

“I feel so useless. Making you do all the work over a mess I got myself into.” 

“Nonsense,” Loki holds her hand up to his lips and kisses her knuckles. “You have better things to worry about than haunted objects. It was my idea, after all. We could have done anything with these jewels. Auction, donate to a museum. Freeing them just seems the most sensible.” 

“Is that why you’re doing this?” 

Loki considers her words for a moment. At first, he would have told her it was out of spite. He believed that he grew up and was above those sort of things, but found that there’s still a part of his old self left behind. The part that can’t stand to see the ones he loves hurt or in pain and he would do anything to make those responsible to pay. But once he spoke to the spirits, he understood better and maybe it felt like the right thing to do. 

“It just doesn’t seem like a pleasant way to live.” Loki shrugs. 

“What about the other spirit? The angry one. Lucille.” 

“Sadly, she won’t technically be free. Not the same way as Thomas. But she’s better off.”

“With Hela?” Valkyrie raises a skeptical brow. 

“I don’t think my sister will dislike Lucille. For some reason, I think they will have a lot more in common. Perhaps, it’s where she belongs. Maybe she’ll find some comfort being around others like herself. Spirits with a part of them that can’t let go and probably don’t want to let go.” 

“Yeah,” Valkyrie nods her head. “I guess I can see that.” 

When they approach the correct headstone marked, _ Edith Cushing _ (Loki can’t help but wonder what happened to that _ Alan, _ Thomas mentioned) Loki clears his throat and reaches into his pocket.

“Would you care to do the honors,” he holds out the ring.

“This was all my fault,” Valkyrie chuckles. “ But Is this really gonna help him?” She sets the gold ring on top of the headstone. 

“It wouldn’t hurt and if he can find Edith, he’ll cross-over easily.”

“Alright. What do we do now?” 

“We wait,” they find a bench to sit on and watch the grave. “If Edith decides to come out and wants to talk to him, that’s up to her. We sent her the invitation, now all she has to do is accept it.” 

“Luckily I came prepared.” Valkyrie reaches into her jacket and pulls up a flask. She offers Loki a sip before she takes a long gulp. 

Valkyrie’s pretty sure it wasn’t a long wait, but for some reason it felt like they were there for hours. She’ll have to ask Loki one day if time gets wonky when dealing with the dead. She leans against his side and feels his arm wrap around her shoulder and pull her in. Valkyrie closes her eyes for a moment before a brief, but bright light wakes her up. 

Two orbs flash in front of Edith’s grave before they materialize and form into two people. 

That same woman Valkyrie recognizes as the one she was kissing in her dream appears. She’s significantly shorter than Thomas and her blonde hair freely flows down to her waist. She’s wearing an expensive looking yellow gown that looks similar to the one that _ other _ woman in her nightmare wore but a bit less constricting. (Which she’s realizing now that woman must have been Lucille) 

“Thomas,” Edith smiles and cups his face with one hand. Thomas leans into her touch. How he once looked rotten and haggard, he now looks healed and cleaned. His clothes shifted to a black suit and his hair is combed back. 

“Edith, you’ve grown up. You’ve grown up so much!”

“I did. But you-“ she chuckles. “You haven’t changed a bit!”

Thomas gives her a smile that reaches his eyes. He never believed he could ever feel this warmth again. 

“Are you happy, Edith?” He finally asks. 

“I am,” she smiles and takes both of his hands into hers. “And you? Are you ready to finally be happy?” 

Thomas bursts into tears and nods. “Yes. Yes, please let me come with.” 

“I wouldn’t leave without you.” She brushes her thumb over his cheek and wipes away a tear. Her hand reaches up and combs through his curls. She gently pulls him down so they’re touching foreheads. There is little need to tell the other how they feel. For once, they’re on the same page and can feel the other’s affection. 

“I thought I would never see you again,” he sniffs. “If it weren’t for those two over there, I’d still be stuck.”

“I know,” she soothes. “I know everything. I might have been out of your sight, but I was never far, Thomas. I was patient and hoped the right people could find you. Are you ready to go?”

Thomas nods. 

“Thank you,” Edith faces the couple awkwardly watching on the bench before she stretches up on the tips of her toes and pulls Thomas into a sweet and deep kiss. 

They don’t see the two pull away and only see their bodies fade away into a soft ball of light that disperses into the night sky. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you all for sticking with the wackiest, but surprisingly most fun prompt! I hope you all enjoy the rest of Valki week and this one filled the theme adequately. I wanted to write an epilogue but thought it ended right where it needed to be. (Not because I was frustrated with the long word count and was too lazy to continue. LOL!) But if you’re curious, I headcanon that Valkyrie decides not to sell the rings and instead put them on display somewhere in Asgard with the story of Thomas and Lucille written below for everyone else to appreciate. Since Asgard lost all their other artifacts, _of course _!


End file.
